Chennai: Indian space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Thursday said it had completed the launch rehearsal of its rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C51 (PSLV-C51).
According to ISRO, theA launch rehearsal of PSLV-C51 rocket that was scheduled to blast off from India’s rocket port in Sriharikota Feb 28 morning carrying Brazilian satellite Amazonia-1 and 18 other satellites as co-passengers was completed.
The space agency said the public launch viewing gallery will be closed owing to Covid-19 pandemic.
India’s first space mission for 2021 is a fully commercial one of NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) with the primary passenger being the Amazonia-1 satellite.
NSIL is undertaking this mission under a commercial arrangement with Spaceflight Inc. USA.
Amazonia-1 is the optical earth observation satellite of National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
This satellite would further strengthen the existing structure by providing remote sensing data to users for monitoring deforestation in the Amazon region and analysis of diversified agriculture across the Brazilian territory, ISRO said.
The 18 co-passenger satellites include four from IN-SPACe (three UNITYsats from consortium of three Indian academic institutes and One Satish Dhawan Sat from Space Kidz India) and 14 from NSIL.
